Tomislav Donchev, Minister of EU Funds Management: By 2011, Bulgaria had absorbed every Euro cent under the operational programmes

- Minister Donchev, during the tenth meeting of the Monitoring Committee of Operational Programme (OP) Technical Assistance and at the adoption of the annual report on its implementation in 2011, one of the comments of the observer from the European Commission Athanasios Sofos was that not all the 27 information centres across our country are ready. What is the status of these centres and what are their employees due to implement?
- The fact is that all centres operating on the OPs have already appointed staff and all rooms have already been reconstructed. However, some places are experiencing difficulties with the supply of equipment. This is caused by the problems in the implementation of the public procurement contracts. I expect more than half of the 27 centres to be officially opened as early as July. The remaining centres will be officially opened in September. But you should know that each of them is operating without any official opening ceremony. Their officials are not waiting in vain for the people to visit them, but they prudently organise the "events on the spot", depending on the schemes that are open and which are of the highest interest.

- And how do the centres which have not yet been equipped operate?
- Where there is a delay in the organisation of the procedures under the PPA (Public Procurement Act) for the supply of equipment, we have already received temporary equipment by the relevant municipalities. Therefore, I think that currently there is no dysfunctional centre. It is another matter that in order for a centre to be officially opened, it must comply with all the requirements on the same furniture for all the 27 centres, which should make each client feel as if visiting the same place as a part of a whole system. Besides the furniture, there is a specific type of equipment which must also be a fact. It is intended for demonstration of various materials, tables, references, etc. This is an extremely important network, which should not only inform people but provoke their interest in the operational programmes. The only thing I regret is that Bulgaria did not establish information centres at the beginning of the programming period. Normally, we were expected, in 2008 and in early 2009, to have a network of information centres. Believe me, if this had happened, now the results would be completely different. This means that anyone who was interested would have received free and fair information and thus, a considerably lower number of companies, municipalities and community centres would have avoided wasting their time in unnecessary stages of drafting a project until they find that there is no financial source for its funding. But as regards the latter, the blame is not mine. Currently, the information network covers a deadline horizon up to 2020 and, therefore, the major part of their work will refer to the next programming period of EU funding.

- Despite the fact that it is difficult to put all operational programmes under a common denominator...which one do you think has the greatest lag? OP Transport was not advancing well but, lately, there is good news concerning it.
- Currently, it is a perfectly running operational programme. According to the data on its financial performance, some 93% of the budget has been agreed. OP Environment is not in such a favourable situation, which in no way should be formulated as a rebuke to the managing body - the Ministry of Environment and Water. This is a difficult programme. Its investment is large and quite complex compared to the other programmes.

- You are well aware that the biggest fear of society is that the end of the programming period is approaching and that it is very likely for all EU grants not to be absorbed, notwithstanding the rule that grants us another 2-3 years to complete the projects. What OP poses the greatest risk?
- By 2011, Bulgaria had absorbed every Euro cent granted under the operational programmes. However, not all European countries are in the same beneficial condition. Our ambition for 2012 is for the situation to remain the same.

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